Friends of Gillette Seeks New Officers

The Friends of Gillette Castle State Park, founded in 1998, needs a new president, some officers, and some committee chairs to continue its work in support of the park and the experiences of the some 200,000 visitors that enjoy it every year.

The next Friends meeting will be at the Castle Visitors Center at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday evening, August 9.

“We have a few general volunteers…but we need to portion out job and task descriptions to prevent too many duties from settling too hard on too few people,” said Friends’ newsletter editor John Stratton. “There are openings in activities like our Gift Shop, membership and website management, grant writing, our biannual Easter egg hunt, and as representatives for the park at events.”

The Friends efforts in past years have included funding for park-maintenance equipment, new display frames and cases, video equipment, and the display-restoration of an electric locomotive once used by Mr. William Gillette on his estate’s railway.

The Friends have also helped support a relationship with the East Haddam Stage Company, which this year has performances of “The Speckled Band,” a 1930 Radio Drama on Saturday and Sunday afternoons, July 7-August 12. In addition, the Friends’ volunteer advisors, Tyke and Teddie Niver, continue to re-enact the role of “Mr. and Mrs. Gillette” at the Castle and other events statewide.

Interested individuals are welcome to attend the August 9 meeting, and lend their ideas and assistance to the board.